Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 20 - DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INSURANCE
Division 4240 - Public Service Commission
Chapter 2 - Practice and Procedure
Section 20 CSR 4240-2.070 - Complaints
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, March 15, 2024
PURPOSE: This rule establishes the procedures for filing formal and informal complaints with the commission.
(1) Any person or public utility who feels aggrieved by an alleged violation of any tariff, statute, rule, order, or decision within the commission's jurisdiction may file a complaint. A complaint may also be filed by the commission on its own motion, the commission staff through the staff counsel, or the Office of the Public Counsel.
(2) A person who feels aggrieved by an alleged violation of any tariff, statute, rule, order, or decision within the commission's jurisdiction may file an informal complaint with the commission's consumer services department or file either a formal complaint or small formal complaint with the commission. Filing an informal complaint is not a prerequisite to filing a formal or small formal complaint; however, the presiding officer may direct that a pro se complainant be required to go through the informal complaint procedure before the formal complaint will be heard by the commission. If an allegedly aggrieved person initially files an informal complaint and is not satisfied with the outcome, such person may also file a formal or small formal complaint.
(3) Informal Complaints. The protections and processes of an informal complaint regarding service or billing practices are set out in 4 CSR 240-13. To file an informal complaint, the complainant shall state, either in writing, by telephone (consumer services hotline 1-800-392-4211 or Relay Missouri at 711), or in person at the commission's offices-
(4) Formal Complaints. A formal complaint may be made by petition or complaint in writing, setting forth any act or thing done or omitted to be done by any person, corporation, or public utility, including any rule or charge established or fixed by or for any person, corporation, or public utility, in violation or claimed to be in violation of any provision of law or of any rule or order or decision of the commission. The formal complaint shall contain the following information:
(5) No complaint shall be entertained by the commission, except upon its own motion, as to the reasonableness of any rates or charges of any public utility unless the complaint is signed by the public counsel, the mayor or the president or chairman of the board of aldermen or a majority of the council or other legislative body of any town, village, county, or other political subdivision, within which the alleged violation occurred, or not fewer than twenty-five (25) consumers or purchasers or prospective consumers or purchasers of public utility gas, electricity, water, sewer, or telephone service as provided by law. Any public utility has the right to file a formal complaint on any of the grounds upon which complaints are allowed to be filed by other persons and the same procedure shall be followed as in other cases.
(6) The commission shall not be required to dismiss any complaint because of the absence of direct damage to the complainant.
(7) The commission, on its own motion or on the motion of a party, may after notice dismiss a complaint for failure to state a claim on which relief may be granted or failure to comply with any provision of these rules or an order of the commission, or may strike irrelevant allegations.
(8) Upon the filing of a complaint in compliance with these rules, the secretary of the commission shall serve by certified mail, postage prepaid, a copy of the complaint upon the person, corporation, or public utility against whom the complaint has been filed, which shall be accompanied by a notice that the matter complained of be satisfied or that the complaint be answered by the respondent, unless otherwise ordered, within thirty (30) days of the date of the notice. Additionally, the complainant may accomplish service of the complaint upon the respondent(s) by any method authorized by Supreme Court Rule 54, having first obtained authorization from the commission for use of a special process server. Any person eligible to serve process under Supreme Court Rule 54 may be nominated as a special process server. A return of service shall be promptly filed with the commission as in the circuit courts of this state.
(9) The respondent shall file an answer to the complaint within the time provided. All grounds of defense, both of law and of fact, shall be raised in the answer. If the respondent has no information or belief upon the subject sufficient to enable the respondent to answer an allegation of the complaint, the respondent may so state in the answer and assert a denial upon that ground.
(10) If the respondent in a complaint case fails to file a timely answer, the complainant's averments may be deemed admitted and an order granting default entered. The respondent has seven (7) days from the issue date of the order granting default to file a motion to set aside the order of default and extend the filing date of the answer. The commission may grant the motion to set aside the order of default and grant the respondent additional time to answer if it finds good cause.
(11) The commission may order, at any time after the filing of a complaint, an investigation by its staff as to the cause of the complaint. The staff shall file a report of its findings with the commission and all parties to the complaint case. The investigative report shall not be made public unless released in accordance with section 386.480, 392.210(2), or 393.140(3), RSMo, or during the course of the hearing involving the complaint.
(12) When the commission determines that a hearing should be held, the commission shall fix the time and place of the hearing. The commission shall serve notice upon the affected person, corporation, or public utility not fewer than ten (10) days before the time set for the hearing, unless the commission finds the public necessity requires that the hearing be held at an earlier date.
(13) All matters upon which a complaint may be founded may be joined in one (1) hearing and no motion for dismissal shall be entertained against a complainant for misjoinder of causes of action or grievances or misjoinder or nonjoinder of parties.
(14) When an order is rendered disposing of a case, the regulatory law judge shall cause the parties to be notified that the order will be final unless an application for rehearing is filed within the allotted number of days and provide information regarding the rehearing and appeal process.
(15) Small Formal Complaint Case. If a customer of a utility files a formal complaint regarding any dispute involving less than three thousand dollars ($3,000), the process set forth in this section shall be followed for such complaints. The provisions of sections (1)-(14) of this rule shall also apply to small formal complaints.
*Original authority: 386.410, RSMo 1939, amended 1947, 1977, 1996.